Research

CURRENT RESEARCH EFFORTS

Factors that facilitate and impede using campus rec facilities among queer students
This mixed-method study will survey and interview queer students to better understand factors that can encourage or dissuade use of campus rec facilities.
Recruitment for the study is currently open. Please contact I-WERQ for more details.

Piloting of cardiovascular health and physical activity measure acquisition in queer individuals
Queer individuals report concerns and trust issues about engaging with the research and medical communities. As related to physical activity research in queer populations, no studies have considered the acceptability of potentially invasive yet widely used measures for cardiac function [via electrocardiography (ECG)], arterial stiffness (a measure of cardiovascular health), and accelerometry (used to capture device-based measures of physical activity and sedentary behavior). Our research team aims to establish the acceptability of these measures in queer individuals by using equitable and socially-conscious methodologies informed by existing literature and the direct feedback of its members.
This work is funded by a DEI grant from the UNC College of Arts and Sciences

Scoping review of queer cardiovascular health
In this scoping review, we will identify, summarize, and synthesize the findings associated with cardiovascular health in queer populations. Areas of exploration, inclusive of current findings and future directions, will be grouped according to the socio-ecological framework, which posits that outcomes are associated with multiple levels of influence and also affected by the intersectionality of these levels. Drafting of the manuscript is ongoing, with a goal of completion in Spring 2024.

The association of community-level safety metrics and individual physical activity levels among queer individuals
Using an epidemiological framework, we will use pre-existing data from national level datasets that capture data on queer identity (inclusive of gender identity and sexual orientation) and physical activity levels. The I-WERQ team is currently collaborating with other Triangle-based researchers.

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Senior Honors Theses and Independent Studies

Sarah Axtell (EXSS Senior Honors Thesis – Fall 2023/Spring 2024)
The association of note-taking methods with perceived hand fatigue and note-taking rationales in EXSS undergraduates

Zenaida Bryant (EXSS 395 – Spring 2024)
Self-identity related to be a BIPOC on a predominantly white sports team.

Caroline Williams (EXSS 395 – Spring 2024)
The experiences of Female and BIPOC athletic trainers, as examined within the socio-ecological framework.

Cassie Teixeira and Courtney Frye (EXSS 395 – Spring 2023)
Perceptions and portrayals of body neutrality across the levels of the socio-ecological framework.

Are you looking to do independent research on a topic that you are passionate about? Do you want to learn skills related to survey development and/or interview analysis? Contact the I-WERQ team for more information.

FUTURE RESEARCH EFFORTS

Injury prevention, care-seeking, and management among stigmatized populations

Inclusivity within queer recreational sport leagues